The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-07-30
UNDER ETHER.
The Way Operations are Performed ON
Patients Who Fade Into Il Dream.

The Way Operations are Performed ON
Patients who Fade Into Il Dream.
The doctor got out his ether appara-
tus and soon compounded smell like
Il photographers shop in oiden days,
while out of the corner of my eye /
could see the surgeon, who had taken
Off his coat and pulled some guards
over his wrists and arms, arranging
his weapons in a neat row on the dres-
sing table. When the doctor had got
his machine ready he placed it over
my nose and mouth, with instructions
to breathe deeply two or three times.
The apparatus nsed for giving ether
consists of box in which the COM
pound is placed, and an oval india
rubber mask, very plant aud flexible,
projecting from it, with tap which
allows communication between the
two pats to be cut off or established al
will. The mask part was placed over
my face, and inhaled deeply once or
twice with the only result that 1 was
seized with Il choking cough, which,
however, was soon followed by plea
SAINT and restful sensation. l felt as if
were gently doing eff on warm
summers day, SO closed my eyes and
placed my arms down by my sides
that they might not interfere with my
breathing. The doctor bent over me
and raised an eyelid, but I was wide
enough awake to say: "Not yet, doc
tor" was rapidly going, though, and
felt I was beginning to lose conscious
ness. The light seemed gently to fade
wat
was not awful or horrible, but soft and
resttnI. There was no giddiness or
singing in the cars, but silence and
darkness settled down over me, and
then red veil seemed to come from
between my eyes and to float sway in-
to the Increasing gloom, gradually
diminishing to a red spot, the only
speck of light left. Slowly this faded
away, and sight, hearing, volition and
every sense with it. had II dim con.
seriousness of existence, but my very
life seemed far away, buried under
masses of soft darkness. do not know
whether spoke, but my brain was a
blank and not a thought crossed my
mind. All was numb, dead and still
as the silence of the grave, but with a
faint, indefinable consciousness some-
where that this was not death, but
only the suspension of life. Darkness
was all around not a darkness that
might be felt, but one that filled every
thing, covered everything and blotted
out everything with black, impalpable
and all-pervading presence.
Gradualiysand softly as it went the
light came back sgain, with no startled
wonder as to where l was, for almost
before I could shape thought I in
stinctively remembered my position
and knew that the operation was over.
The figures in the room grew distinct
and clear. I hall rose up in bed, and
pain rushed upon me. 1 had lain
down strong and well. I woke up
weak and throbbing with pain under
my bandages, and with a sickness
such as had believed could only be
produced in an Attorney Race on
board cattle boat.
"Splendid," cried the surgeon, cheer
fully, call over, first rate!'' and he
turned down his shirt sleeves after
tossiugaaway the towel with which lie
had dried his hands. My first thought
was to ask the time. "Not much more
than a quarter of an hour over it, was
the reply. 81 dare say you'll go to
sleep now; goodbye" During my
trance they had cut me and carved me,
sewn me up and bandaged me without
my even knowing that l had been
touched, but could hardly feel CRATE
ful 10 the annsthctic, for the nausea it
produced was intense. My mouth,
throat and lungs felt coated with ether
and dried with smoke and could well
imagine what the mouth of photo
graper's boy would be like after Il pro-
lonsed debauch on brown paper cigars
soaked in collodioD. Still the ether
had saved me from much suffering
and, what was Of more Importance,
had prevented the skill of the operator
being baked by any ilinching. Every
thing had been done swiftly, skilitully
and with no fear of the patient wincing
or moving. The knife is sure and
sharp nowadays, and does not bungte.
-InN !IkpN Gazette.
The United States Senat0rShipS and The
{,nyprAarSAiH.